Advocate (04/20/93) No. 627, P. 25
Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar's proposal to double AIDS spending is
an improvement but is still inadequate, according to leaders
of AIDS service groups. "It's a good beginning, but that's
all it is," said Mark Ishaug, a director of the AIDS
Foundation of Chicago. Edgar requested the allotment of $7.1
million for AIDS education and treatment in a budget presented
on March 3. During the previous three years, state spending
for the programs had remained constant at about $3.6 million.
In addition, the budget recommends loosening the
qualifications for the state AIDS Drug Reimbursement Program
and boosting the number of drugs it subsidizes from five to
ten. Tom Schafer, a spokesman for Edgar, said the
recommendations demonstrate that the governor "understands the
concerns of people with AIDS. It's a growing problem, and the
state has to deal with it now."